Billy Childish

Something of a sequel to the excellent two-disc I Am the Billy Childish compilation, Billy Childish Native American Sampler: A History 1983-1993 also does an overview of Childish's career, but with a specific point -- all songs contributed are about Native American figures or issues. Childish himself makes reference to Link Wray in his liner notes -- Wray himself being of Native American descent -- and what in lesser hands might be patronizing glop becomes a fierce, growling celebration. Wray himself unsurprisingly gets a cover version on the compilation -- "Comanche," as recorded by Thee Headcoats in 1992 -- but the rest are Childish originals or collaborations, aside from the Blackhands' sharp reworking of "Louie Louie" as "Louis Riel," named after a Native Canadian leader of the 19th century. Split more or less halfway between vocal and instrumental numbers, it functions just fine as a dip into Childish's obsessive muse, but the particular focus lyrically and musically makes for a cohesive, fun-as-hell time. Many of the tracks are heavy on the tribal drums, and while a fair amount of his inspirations may seem like Western appropriations/bastardizations of said sound, it beats the heck out of Paul Revere & the Raiders' "Indian Reservation" any day of the week. There's plenty of dank, twanging nods to the kind of spaghetti western numbers Ennio Morricone made his trademark -- "Thunderbird" really should be the backdrop for one last Clint Eastwood western, if he ever does one again. Kira from Thee Headcoatees turns up for a cool and sly vocal on "Pocahontas Was Her Name," while the pointed humor award goes to Thee Mighty Caesars' "Cowboys Are Square." Childish also recites some poems specifically for the collection -- while brief, the cutting "Playing Pool with a Salish Indian Drug Dealer in the Dodson Bar Down-Town Vancouver" is one of the most direct and unforced contemplations of the effects of history one will hear. ~ Ned Raggett, All Music Guide